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New Stellar Stream Discovered Around Distant Galaxy Messier 61

11/17/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile unveiled a 50 kiloparsec stellar stream around Messier 61, a barred spiral galaxy 55 million light-years away in Virgo.
The stream consists of remnants from a dwarf galaxy disrupted by Messier 61's gravity.
The event may have triggered a starburst in Messier 61 10 million years ago.
Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) observations over 10 years will reveal structures around galaxies.

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Story summary

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile unveiled a 50 kiloparsec stellar stream around Messier 61, a barred spiral galaxy 55 million light-years away in Virgo.
The stream consists of remnants from a dwarf galaxy disrupted by Messier 61's gravity.
The event may have triggered a starburst in Messier 61 10 million years ago.
Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) observations over 10 years will reveal structures around galaxies.